[R-1051] Six pack attack / RT618 URC-35B

[John P. Caldwell]

Ray,

I believe the R1051 was plentiful as the production quantities were intended
to replace most or all the R390A's in Navy service at the time of release.
The URC-35B on the other hand was deployed to replace TCS sets and other
lower power HF R/T's in craft ranging from subs to patrol boats, tugs, etc.
As a result the production numbers were way lower.   The URC-35B is from the
same General Dynamics product family as the R1051 and T-827, but it suffered
from significant RF amplifier problems.  The AM-3007 PA uses some goofy
conduction cooled tube that's unobtanium (my hate for the thing has forced
me to blank the tube number from memory).  The WRC-1 is a R1051 Rx, T-827
Exciter and AM-3007 PA.   Again the PA was always the problem area.  I have
a URC-35B and I've never been able to get more than about 20W out of the
damn thing.  I have substituted the RT-618 in place of the T-827 / R1051B
pair with the URC-23 and it works pretty well (suggestion credit goes to
W2HX).   The URC-35B always generates interest in the shack as nobody knows
what it is, but that's where the value ends.  I have to agree with your
opinion of the Sunair URC-92 family.  As long as you don't run out of
tantalum caps to feed the set,  it'll run forever.   BTW, I've uploaded the
URC-35B depot manual set to the files section of the Milradio groups.io
group for anyone that desires some stimulating reading.

 

John W8SDA (ex WD8INC)